The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-01-29

lllill.
He caught them in his own, and,
drawing her toward him kissed her
brow, and then, as if in fun, lifted
her left hand as if to kiss it, but
dropped it Immediately, and stag
gered back as if shot.
"Gmham, are you ill ?" she cried
in alarm. Spark, dear one"
The voice, the look all bespoke
love-truc heartfelt love.
"Not here" said the colonel; mot
here. But-but-. Come with me,
Annie; my happiness depends on
your answers
She followed him in silent amaze
ment, and as he passed where |
stood concealed, he secretly motion
ed me 70 follow, which / did at
a short distance. They passed into
a room, the windows of which open
ed to the ground-by a sign he
babe me wait where L could see and
hear what passed, and, of course, |
did.
"Annie," he said in his usual ten
der voice, but now it shook slightly {;
"Annie, have never kept a secret
from you. Have you from me p
"Never Why do you ask ?" she
demanded, in astonishment.
"Do you remember yesterday ask
ing me for the ring with the black
diamond ?"
"Yes. But surely, my dear, you
do not think that l was annoyed at
your refusing it Your wish to me
would be"
The colonel bent his black eyes
full on her, and said
"The black diamond is gomez
"Gone !" exclaimed the lady.
"Who could have taken it?"
"You ?" thundered the colonel
sternly.
Her eyes dropped meekly to the
ground and her lips trcmbled, but
she answered firmly
"You wrong me Colonel Graham.
| know not who made you suspect
me but no person in all the world
could have made me think one mo-
ment's evil of you. Letme pass"
"stay, Annie, stay" he cried, as
he caught her arm. "Look at your
left hand, and read there the proof
of what | ssy."
Mrs. Graham looked down at her
hand with surprise, and never shall
l forget the cry of horror she gave
when she saw the fatal ring.
Plucking it off her finger, she hurl-
ed it from her in disgust, as if had
been some loathsome reptile, and
falling back on chair, burst into
bitter tears, which her husband vain
ly tried to assuage. At that moment
l heard the sharp click of a horses
hoofs passing down the yard. One
glimpse between the trees showed
me it was Captain Elmsleigh, and il
bid not need the eye of Il detective
to see that he was leaving Elmsleigl
for good.
"Colonel!" | cried, as l dashed in
to the room, "the thief--Elmsleigl
is making good his escape! shal
I stop him?"
He looked pleadingly at his wife
and the answer came:
SO! My only duty is to you
my husband Go !"
Not another word. In two min
t we were in the stables, horses out
; saddled, mounted, and away W,
f dashed, never two men more cage
in a race than we in this hunt.
The hedgerows seemed to fly pas
us. The frost-covered fields becam
like ribbons of silver, which rolleC
rapidly by. l am a good rider, ant
kept up pretty well with the colone
: but how and then he forged ahead
: and once had reached the top of
hill a few lengths before me, whel
he gave the "view halo" and l kney
the game was in sight. Yes, ther
he was. When l topped the hill h
had pulled up his horse for a mo
ment, as if to halt But conscienc
) proved stronger than his courage
He gave the horse the rein, and w
dashed after him.
| will not enter into or try to de
scribe the wild excitcmen of tina
chase. Not a word was spoken
not a sound was heard in the still
air of the morning but the measure,
beat of our hoises' hoofs as the,
flew over the frost-bound roads.
81 was about to get ahead of tn
I colonel we had passed and repass
ed each other many times-when h
uttered cry of horror, and seizin
? my horses bride, checked the ami
} NAL so suddenly that he nearly un